Friday, March 13, 2015

Harvest Time Series-Broccoli Tips



We wanted to give you a head's up about an upcoming giveaway!




Mary, from Mary's Heirloom Seeds 
will be sponsoring a giveaway on 
The Maple Hill Hop 
next Tuesday.
Be sure to stop by and enter to win a fabulous gift package.
While you're there, we hope you'll join the HOP party!
See you then!



We're starting a new series today called 
Harvest Time.

We'll feature tips on how best to reap what you sow,
so that you get the most from your veggie and herb gardens.




Today's focus is harvesting broccoli.
Here in Central Florida, this crop is started mid-fall.




By the time winter rolls around,
we are picking fully-formed heads.
If the gardener is careful and efficient,
this generous crop will reward you well.
Execution is everything.



We talked about cutting the main head at an angle here.
This allows rain or irrigation water to shed easily away from the stalk
in order to prevent disease problems.
Once the head is removed,
the opportunity for tips emerges.
If you enjoy eating broccoli,
you will have as much as you can stand!



This is one of the tips that grows from the space provided.
They are even more tender than the head.



You can see where the new tips are growing.
It's kinda like The Sorcerer's Apprentice,
they just keep making more, and more, and more.
When you cut the bigger tip off,
you want to make sure you don't disturb the new tips forming.
Again, cutting the tips off at an angle will ensure that tips keep on comin',
and prevent disease issues from occurring.  
Lynn uses a sharp pocket knife to cut across the base of the stem,
and then stops just short of going all the way through.
He then gently pulls up what's left,
allowing the leaves and new tips to continue to form.




This is one crop that just keeps giving.
Knowing techniques to help make your harvesting easier and more efficient
is what this series is all about.
We hope to continue it as the season progresses.
Enjoy your harvest!



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4 comments:

  1. Daisy, it's encouraging to see all the summer things you are doing now in Florida. Here in Nebraska the Spring thaw is on and the mud is ankle deep. The soil temperature is about 40 degrees and rising. Maybe another week I'll be able to plant the spuds. The soil has to be at least 55 degrees before planting. We here in Nebraska are enjoying a splendid Spring weather time. The temperature was 75 yesterday and will get that high again today. That's unusual for this part of the country but I'll take since just 10 days ago we had zero degree temperatures. It looks like Nebraska is up for another very challenging Spring garden year. I'm ready for it this year for sure.

    Broccoli is not some thing I can grow well. I tried it a couple years but the heads didn't form very well. The plant grew to head high proportion but the broccoli heads were teeny tiny little things. They were quite tasty but just not very big. That usually indicates that there's too much nitrogen but I didn't add any thing to the soil. Cabbages on the other hand I have done extremely well growing. Nice solid heads form and good taste. Well, the rabbits think so. I'll be protecting them a little better this year. I still want to make kraut for Winter consumption.

    Have a great broccoli harvest day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Sounds like you are itching to get growing! Can't blame you one bit. Hurray for cabbage! I still want to make kraut. Supposed to be so good for you! Enjoy your warmer temps!

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  2. This is good information for me to tuck away. This is my third year trying to grow broccoli without one head to harvest. If this year the broccoli does better I'll need this tips to keep the harvest going. Thanks for sharing at the Tuesday Garden Party.

    ReplyDelete

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